AP Classes in High School: Your Thoughts

[nick1516]

Just take the AP classes, and try and add on some more. I'll be a senior this year as well and so far I've taken: AP European history, AP Probability and Statistics, AP Biology, AP US History and AP Language. Next year I'll be taking AP Microeconomics, AP Calculus BC, AP Literature, AP Government and Politics, AP Computer Science and Honors Physics.

I'll have plenty of college credit when I graduate(if I go to a school that accepts them) and I'll be more prepared for the coursework in college.

 

[11800506]

Taking 1 AP class I don't think will be too demanding yet will still provide a good challenge for you. I'm going to be a senior this coming year as well and I've taken them more for a challenge as opposed to trying to get college credit. However that is a bonus. I've taken 5 APs so far (Government, US History, BC Calc, Euro History, French), while taking all IB classes (I'm in a magnet school) and I've found the work to be tough but well worth it in the end. It certainly won't be a breeze but I think it'll be a good experience into what college course generally are like.

 

[leomac08]

AP is good cause it boots your GPA, till like a 5.2 but really.....I only got 8units of university credit when I transferred from high school to college... and I took a lot of AP classes

 

[rhsgolfer33]

If you're a senior, you likely won't have a grade in the class before your college applications are do anyways.

I'd take it though, presuming you think you can do well enough on the AP test to get credit for the class. It will save you one general ed class in college and for me, that would be worth it. Wish I took more in AP courses in high school.

but i don't think AP courses in your HS were like that. The test is in May for everybody, so not sure how you took one AP course from Sept to Dec and that was it.

My high school did a few AP courses the way Duke mentioned as well. August - December then January through May. Economics and government were both done this way.

 

[aethelbert]

It will save you one general ed class in college and for me, that would be worth it.

Maybe even two courses. When I took US history back in the dark ages, my AP exam score yielded eight hours of credit at most schools.

 

[CJS7070]

I'm taking AP Chemistry next year... Not so much because I want the college credit, but because I'm into chemistry and would rather take this than an environmental science class.

 

[iOrlando]

My advice (I’m the oldest and wisest one in this thread ) is to not take AP courses. The two MOST important things are your grade point and your SAT/ACT scores. If you’re extremely smart and know you’ll get A’s, then take them, but don’t mess up your GPA.

Also, even though you didn’t ask, a mistake I made was to take honors courses in college. Don’t.

i don't agree with this at all. college admissions must have changed in the past 10-20 years.

1) colleges do look at what classes you take in HS. you can easily get a 4.0 just taking woodshop and art class. Many colleges will look down upon you if you dont have any AP classes. Colleges know HS grades are meaningless (any teacher can just give you an A). Instead colleges want to see AP courses and your AP test scores that way they can compare your knowledge to everyone else.

2) if you aren't extremely smart, you probably wouldnt even be in a position to take them AP classes or you wouldnt even want to take them. Many AP teachers will kick you out during the first week if you are not up to it anyways. AP is not a requirement to graduate so it is not a mandatory class and teachers can choose not to accept you (but again this rarely happens since who would enroll in AP just to goof around and not do anything).

there really is no downside to taking APs and anyone with the opportunity should jump at it.


and for the people with 2 random semesters that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard. Since you say you lived through it, I will believe it. Where did you go to HS? Rocky Mountains? I have never run into anyone who had AP in that format.

 

[eMac4ever]

and for the people with 2 random semesters that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard. Since you say you lived through it, I will believe it. Where did you go to HS? Rocky Mountains? I have never run into anyone who had AP in that format.

My school does that, and I'm in a heavily populated suburb of Philadelphia. (Although in the second semester, we actually have the same class that we had every day in the first semester, every-other day.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_scheduling

 

[mscriv]

I'll tell you this, there's no better feeling than walking into college with credit. I didn't have to take a single history class in college, knocked out one of my math credits and one of my english credits as well. The money and time saved by doing the work now will pay off later. The poster that mentioned CLEP test is also giving you great advice. I say take as much AP as you can comfortably handle and then on top of that test out of as much as you can when you get to university.

 

[Dr Tetromino]

...

 

[puffnstuff]

CLEP exams are super easy much easier than the AP exam.

 

[thatoneguy92088]

I don;t know what it is like in your school, but in a lot of the non honors/AP classes you would get the ****-ups and *******s who didn't want to be there which make all classes worse. Unless you want to go to some Ivy League school and empty out your parents bank accounts, a few AP classes wouldn't hurt, but don't overdo it. I never took any AP classes although I did take honors courses. I am in Industrial Engineering at the UofA, and I was glad I took honors physics and calculus in high school.
To all the people who said calc 1 was hard, wait until you get to calc 3.

 

[MonksMac]

As someone who is also going into my senior year I say definitely take the AP class. I'm not going to lie and say that they will be the easiest classes you'll take, but they have so many benefits that outweigh the negatives. So unless you know that you'll really do poorly in the class (that happened to me with Chem... and killed my GPA ) then it's worth the risk.

To the others- Not every school does full year classes. My (Texas) school is run on the block schedule, and like duke we have 90 min. classes. Most AP classes are 18 weeks, but stuff like AP Bio is 27 weeks long, and AP Gov. and AP Macroeconomics are only 9 Weeks each. So, it is entirely possible to get all AP classes the first 18 weeks of the school year and you won't take the AP test until May...

 

[yojitani]

As someone who sees a lot of university Freshmen every year, I strongly recommend taking AP classes. Regular high school classes do not prepare you for university, even if you are an 'A' student. There is a noticeable difference between students who have taken AP classes and those who have not.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Honestly I think the AP system is over rated and in some areas it needs a massive overhaul.

The math one is not to bad for AP cal but I have has students n class with me who have done the AP for cal but did not have a CLUE how to do some of the important stuff to get threw cal II.

The area in the AP system I think needs the largest over haul is AP english. to many people are going threw college and have zero clue how to write when the leave. Their only real writing would be what they did in HS.

I had a friend who in his last year would write some things that made zero since. It was spell correctly and grammatically correct but the idea flow was well crap. It jump around and was very difficult to read.

I think AP English is a disservice more than a service in the end.

 

[kmaute]

...
I had a friend who in his last year would write some things that made zero since. It was spell correctly and grammatically correct but the idea flow was well crap. It jump around and was very difficult to read.
...

lol.

 

[SuperCompu2]

lol.

Be nice....

I took APs in HS, including Language + Composition, Literature, Physics and US History. I believe the classes set me up for the rigors of higher education, while also feeding my hunger for knowledge.

It's a lot of work, but if you want to really learn, (especially in a public school setting) these classes are excellent.

 

[007bond]

Any AP History class will be one of the hardest classes you have ever taken. That being said, its a pretty rewarding experience. I am taking AP (all classes) as well as IB and I can tell you its extremely hard, but if you just work hard its good. The AP World History test I took last year was insane, but it was rewarding.

 

[miles01110]

Honestly I think the AP system is over rated and in some areas it needs a massive overhaul.

The AP system is fine if you ignore the complete lack of curriculum standards, the broken system of awarding high schools that have more AP students financially (with no oversight), and the false notion that a 3 on the AP test translates to a passing grade in college. Before you take any AP class, see whether or not the schools you're applying to let you get credit for them. Most of the reputable schools don't.

Any AP History class will be one of the hardest classes you have ever taken.

Suggesting that any history class is "hard" is pretty funny. All you do is memorize. There's not really that much thinking involved. I honestly don't know why people spend a lot of time on things like History- every history class I've ever taken in college or high school were just self-confidence builders and I could have gotten just as much out of the material if I had read the books on my own time. History classes might be difficult to make time for, but they're not "hard" on the level of the science and math courses.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

The AP system is fine if you ignore the complete lack of curriculum standards, the broken system of awarding high schools that have more AP students financially (with no oversight), and the false notion that a 3 on the AP test translates to a passing grade in college. Before you take any AP class, see whether or not the schools you're applying to let you get credit for them. Most of the reputable schools don't.

I am honestly glade that a lot of colleges are saying they are done with AP credits. I know one of the biggest complaint from a lot of industries is people come out of college not knowing how to write. Colleges want the CLEP and AP credis to go away. The only way to get college credit for anything is to dual credit from an accredited college. I had to take college algrebra due to how the system works. I slept threw the class and had over a 100 at end but I had made it to calculus in HS but the guy who sat next to me in that class could barely get a C and he study like crazy. I on the hand had to work my ass off in English and history and I pulled off a B and A in those but still had to work very hard compared to my math class which for the most part even the upper level stuff I did not put much work into and could get the same grades.

I am a fan of that system as well since at least then they have to meet a standard. AP classes to not have any type of standard they have to meet.

Suggesting that any history class is "hard" is pretty funny. All you do is memorize. There's not really that much thinking involved. I honestly don't know why people spend a lot of time on things like History- every history class I've ever taken in college or high school were just self-confidence builders and I could have gotten just as much out of the material if I had read the books on my own time. History classes might be difficult to make time for, but they're not "hard" on the level of the science and math courses.

That is only the lower level history classes are easy (aka core). Just like College algebra is easy. It is a core class for a lot of people. If you are a history major you will never go really beyond college algebra but get into some pretty upper level history classes that us math and science majors would hate and think were very hard because that is not how are brain works.

I think almost all freshman level classes are easy now for the most part at least the ones that are there for core requirements. Major specif ones can be a bit nastier

 

[Kwyjibo]

] Before you take any AP class, see whether or not the schools you're applying to let you get credit for them. Most of the reputable schools don't.

Suggesting that any history class is "hard" is pretty funny. All you do is memorize. There's not really that much thinking involved. I honestly don't know why people spend a lot of time on things like History- every history class I've ever taken in college or high school were just self-confidence builders and I could have gotten just as much out of the material if I had read the books on my own time. History classes might be difficult to make time for, but they're not "hard" on the level of the science and math courses.

Wow what a great mix ....

"Before you take any AP class, see whether or not the schools you're applying to let you get credit for them." Good Advice. I would say that before you take an AP test you should check to see if your list of schools takes the test as credit and what score they recognize (4+). I would still recommend the courses, even if you don't take the exam.

"Most of the reputable schools don't." - Most is a pretty broad generalization, I would guess Ivy League schools do not take them, but I'm not sure that I would limit myself to Ivy League = Reputable

I'm glad you are able to define something that's completely subjective among everyone. History = Easy, Math & Science = Challenging

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Wow what a great mix ....

"Before you take any AP class, see whether or not the schools you're applying to let you get credit for them." Good Advice. I would say that before you take an AP test you should check to see if your list of schools takes the test as credit and what score they recognize (4+). I would still recommend the courses, even if you don't take the exam.

"Most of the reputable schools don't." - Most is a pretty broad generalization, I would guess Ivy League schools do not take them, but I'm not sure that I would limit myself to Ivy League = Reputable

I'm glad you are able to define something that's completely subjective among everyone. History = Easy, Math & Science = Challenging

I expand on it but I know some state schools have been debating about not accepting AP credit any longer. Some already have stated they will not accept them and reduced to duel credit only.

 

[dukebound85]

I think it's amusing when you have hs seniors or college freshman say I am a sophomore in credits or something but fail to tell you those credits don't mean anything for their major requirements (effectively counting as extra classes with no benefit besides of taking them)

The benefit of the AP classes is to prepare you for the college workload. HS tends to be an institution where the mentality is "no one is left behind" vs college's "sink or swim"

With that said, forget the credits as they do not mean anything really as most programs have prereqs that will make one entering in with 20 credits moot as you still need to hit the classes as they are offered (which for engineering is 4 years regardless from my experience at least).

Do it for the challenge while still in a setting where the teachers are easily accessible vs going to college and having narrow time windows for office hrs

In regards to the credits, if you do that route, look at what may or may not apply for the major you want to pursue. If you want to go into history and taking calc bc ap test, why pay the ap test fees for credit that may not even be applicable to the major? Point is do some research in regards to taking the AP tests as they can be quite stressful

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I think it's amusing when you have hs seniors or college freshman say I am a sophomore in credits or something but fail to tell you those credits don't mean anything for their major requirements (effectively counting as extra classes with no benefit besides of taking them)

The benefit of the AP classes is to prepare you for the college workload. HS tends to be an institution where the mentality is "no one is left behind" vs college's "sink or swim"

With that said, forget the credits as they do not mean anything really as most programs have prereqs that will make one entering in with 20 credits moot as you still need to hit the classes as they are offered (which for engineering is 4 years regardless from my experience at least).

Do it for the challenge while still in a setting where the teachers are easily accessible vs going to college and having narrow time windows for office hrs

In regards to the credits, if you do that route, look at what may or may not apply for the major you want to pursue. If you want to go into history and taking calc bc ap test, why pay the ap test fees for credit that may not even be applicable to the major? Point is do some research in regards to taking the AP tests as they can be quite stressful

the best you can do on most engineering program even if you are a transfer student from a community college is 3 years and if you change engineering majors most of the time it will set you back as well.

You have to love the bottle neck class that is a prereq for just about everything else. Civil Engineering it was statics and it was needed to take just about all the other classes for the degree and it was 2.5 years no matter how you cut it after you finished the class. Change engineering majors it normally takes you 3 years after you change due to the damn bottle necks.

 

[63dot]

Back in the '70s, the AP classes offered by my HS were taught only at the junior college and counted towards HS graduation and towards a general ed requirement for an Associate's or Bachelor's. This was opposed to just an advanced level class which only went toward a HS diploma.

AP classes starting with a "1" were for the University of California, "2" for California State Universities, and "3" for an Associate's degree at any California accredited junior college.

Do some of today's AP courses count toward college units, and what's the case in other countries, like Canada or England?